For the Lady
by Thess
Summary: In the past, they have fought for their organisations, for their species, and their desire to surpass each other, now Alexander Anderson and Alucard fight over a woman. One shot. Manga ficlet.


Disclaimer: Hellsing belongs to Kouta Hirano.

Author's Notes: Inspired by Wizardry VI duel and requested as birthday gift by donnacpunk of lj. Edited by kelles. Possible AU warning.

* * *

**For the Lady**

Twirl. Forward. Retreat.

An ancient knight cloaked in red and white and a modern Paladin with a blessed cloth faced each other in the City of the Dead.

The martial waltz between the two continued, despite the fact that the dance floor was slippery with blood and the poles with impaled bodies stood in their way. They kept their balance, dodging the spears or cutting them from their way. The screams of the tormented Nazis and Catholic Knights were the melody that marked their rhythm.

Their blades met - the metal noise was lost amidst the chorus of the damned. They glared at each other, pushing and backing - testing and savouring the tension built between the sparse distance of the sharp edge and the flesh.

Dracula was holding up his might, waiting to reach the priest's limit and no matter how strong Anderson was, he possessed the strength of an army. He did not kill him at sight for the sake of the game and because of Integral. Like it or not, the priest had saved her life and he was a monster, but still bound by the old honour - an honour that demanded him to duel Judas Priest – a matter of position.

Anderson was pretending, Dracula admitted he was good at it. He denied what his real motive to fight him was, seeking the answers in their shared past. It was no longer the issue that he was damned and they belonged to antagonist organisations. They were not, both were basically on the same side, under the same Master. It was for the Lady they fought, she could only have one protector, one chosen knight in less than shiny armour.

Dracula thought himself the worthy one of the Maiden of Steel's leadership. He had served her faithfully since she was a child; he had been there when she took the first steps to greatness. He had betrayed his kind to blindly follow her.

Anderson deemed himself better of her good graces for being the one who had aided her in the last process of her completion. He saw her in the heat of the battle, so wounded and dignified, only he understood her call. He had turned his back on his Church to defend her.

The vampire passed the priest's defences and pounded his sword on his right lung deeply. "Getting sloppy already, old nemesis?" he mocked. _You need to be better than that if you want to protect her_, he taunted mentally.

"I-I was faster than you to protect her from the Nazis, Abomination," Anderson shot back, ignoring the blood pouring out his mouth, the gagging reflex in his throat and the shadows closing around him. His insult reached his rival and bought him a moment of distraction – his bayonet buried on the damned creature's left breast.

Twirl. Forward. Retreat. Once more time with feeling – rage, lust, envy. They were sinful creatures who had devoted themselves to God.

He was there years before he met her.

He was there on her side when he was not able to reach her.

They hated competition.

They broke the position again, retreating and wielding their weapons towards each other. Dracula brought his blade to his mouth and licked the blood just shed. "Not a virgin, Judas Priest? I can't say I am not surprised."

Anderson growled in indignation, charging against his foe blindly. Dracula chuckled and waited to welcome him as it was proper in a duel. _I shed the first blood, I won but it seems you aren't going to surrender…_

They grinned, anticipating the victory or simply continuing another piece of the waltz they two shared – more blood, more madness spiraling in their chaotic minds as the Major laughed above them and extended his arms.

There was a clash of blades, a mere second of silence and tension, of order in their insanity. Within that instant, both warriors froze their motions, not harming the third party who just got involved into their personal duel.

"Count, Anderson," Integral hissed, her jaw was tensed by employed strength of holding her sabre against both – blocking their paths as only she could accomplish. "I believe there is a war to win before falling into petty rivalries."

"As the Countess orders," Dracula bowed, starting to laugh secretly to Integral's bafflement. Anderson quietly nodded and lowered his bayonet, throwing daggers on the vampire's direction.

"Perhaps once this is over," Integral said, a strange smile appeared on her lips. "We can all have a waltz together. Don't presume even if you are better dancers that I cannot dance at all."

Anderson and Dracula postponed their duel to benefit war, for the Lady had chosen to be her own knight in less than shiny armour.


End file.
